Archivist : Employers and vacancy sources

Local government is the most common employers of archivists, followed by central government, the National Health Service (NHS) and universities. Archives are also kept by:

• cultural institutions, such as art galleries and museums;
• large charities;
• public bodies;
• religious foundations;
• media organisations;
• specialist repositories within the private sector in large corporations, businesses and industrial organisations.

Other major employers of archivists are the large national repositories, which include:

• The National Library of Scotland
• The National Library of Wales
• The British Library
• The National Archives  
• The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
• The National Archives of Scotland

See the ARCHON Directory  for a list of record repositories in the United Kingdom and also for institutions elsewhere in the world which have substantial collections of manuscripts.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• ARC Recruitment  - fortnightly recruitment publication of the Archives and Records Association (ARA)  
• Archives-NRA List  
• The National Archives  and The National Archives of Scotland  
• Leicester University School of Museum Studies Jobs Desk - for archive opportunities in museums.
• Local Government Jobs  and local authority websites for opportunities in local government.
• National press, e.g. Guardian Jobs , and local press (particularly for paraprofessional jobs). 
• Jobs.ac.uk  - for university jobs.
• NHS Jobs

Search the ARCHON Directory  for contact details of record repositories throughout the UK and check their websites for vacancies.

Recruitment agencies rarely advertise vacancies.

Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.